FAQ

This webpage was created to answer many of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) that people commonly ask regarding applying for a study permit for Canada or student visa for Ukraine, as well as the services that our valued clients receive from us.

We recommend that you read over the information offered here for your convenience, as you may find that perhaps we have already posted on this FAQs webpage the answer(s) to your question(s). If, however, you still have further questions about the programs, process, or services that we provide our customers, please feel free to Contact Us.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What is a Visa?

In general, a “visa” is an official travel document issued by a national government and normally stamped inside of (or otherwise attached to) an individual’s passport which authorizes the traveler to legally remain inside of the host country that issued the visa for a specified time period and according to certain conditions. There are different types of visas for various purposes and time periods issued by national governments, such as visitor visas, student visas, work visas and permanent resident visas.

What is a Student Visa?

A “student visa” is an official travel document issued by a national government that authorizes an international student to live, study and, in some cases, work (often with certain restrictions) inside the host country that issued the student visa for a limited time period (usually related to the length of their educational program). International students who receive a Letter of Acceptance to attend a study abroad program lasting six months or longer at a designated learning institution in Canada will usually need to apply for a Canadian study permit. A full-time international student with a valid Canadian study permit who wants to work in Canada may need to apply for a work permit (usually required if he/she wants to work off campus). Foreign students who receive a Letter of Invitation (Acceptance Letter) to attend an institution of higher education in Ukraine will next have to apply for a student visa to Ukraine (please note that Ukraine does not permit international students to work while studying in Ukraine).

For which countries can you assess my eligibility to receive a Study Permit/Student Visa?

Currently, our team of experts can evaluate your best options for study abroad programs in Canada or Ukraine and your eligibility to be issued a study permit for Canada or a student visa to Ukraine (depending on which country you selected).

How many foreign students are studying abroad in Canada?

There were approximately 570,000 international students attending study abroad programs in Canada during 2018. It should be noted that the number of foreign students enrolled in Canadian educational programs has soared by an incredible 60% over the past three years. For example, Canada had 494,525 international students during 2017; 410,400 in 2016; 350,130 in 2015; and 326,120 in 2014. As the world’s 4th most popular destination for international students, and with the number of foreign students skyrocketing each year, it is obvious that Canada is a great place to study abroad.

How many foreign students are studying abroad in Ukraine?

There were 66,310 international students from 147 countries enrolled in higher education programs in Ukraine at 249 universities, institutes and academies during 2017.

What must I do to receive a Study Permit/Student Visa?

Each country that offers student visas to international students establishes its own requirements for eligibility that are normally based upon the immigration and/or other laws of that particular country. In general, to apply for a study permit to Canada or student visa to Ukraine, an individual will normally need to:

have documentation (e.g., Letter of Acceptance from a Canadian educational institution OR Invitation Letter from an institution of higher education in Ukraine) confirming that they have been accepted to attend a school and/or educational program approved for international students by the government issuing the study permit/student visa (in Canada, such schools are often referred to as “designated learning institutions”);

provide evidence of their ability to pay for school, living, travel, and other necessary expenses for the time period that the international student (and all authorized family members who may accompany him/her) will be living inside of the country that will issue the student visa/study permit;

be in good health;

have health insurance for themselves (and usually also for all authorized family members that may accompany them to the foreign country);

be of “good character” and not considered by the government issuing the student visa to be a “risk” (a police certificate is sometimes required for confirmation);

have satisfactory English language skills (or French language skills for Canada; or Ukrainian/Russian language skills for Ukraine). In the case of studying abroad in Canada, there is an exception to the English/French language requirement if the international students has been accepted to attend an approved English/French as a foreign language course;

possess a valid passport or other “acceptable” travel document;

pay a fee for the study permit/student visa application;

be interviewed by a government official in some cases.

Is there an option for me to study in Canada if my English/French language skills are not very good?

Yes! Although Canada requires that international students know the English or French language at a satisfactory level (for the benefit of the international student), Canada has programs that allow students from overseas to study English or French as a foreign language. Keep in mind that although you may not think your English or French language skills are adequate, it might be a good idea for you to have your English or French language abilities evaluated by one of the language assessment tests authorized for Canada, such as the IELTS (for English) or TEF (for French). If you receive a high enough score on the IELTS or TEF exam, you may be able to get approved for a student visa (if you meet the other criteria) and then can continue to improve your English in the English-speaking country as a full-time student. It is a good idea to prepare in advance to take the IELTS or TEF test (we have some excellent IELTS test preparation materials available to purchase, if you are interested).

In the event that your English or French level really is not at a high enough level for you to attend university, vocational school, or other educational program taught in English or French (or if you were not accepted into a university, vocational school, etc., AND English/French is not your first language), there are other options that may allow you to study in Canada. For example, you may be able to study English or French as a second language at an authorized language learning program in Canada. If you are thinking about studying in Canada, we also have excellent English or French language-learning software available for purchase.

Do I need to know the Ukrainian language in order to study abroad in Ukraine?

No – Higher education institutions in Ukraine offer study abroad programs that are taught in English, Russian or Ukrainian. Nonetheless, it can be helpful to learn the Ukrainian language before starting a study abroad program there and/or learn the language while living in Ukraine as an international student. It should be noted, however, that there are many higher education institutions that offer study abroad programs that are taught in English. Of course, there are also numerous higher education programs available for those who want to enroll in educational programs in which the instruction is given in Ukrainian or Russian. For international students who want to attend a study abroad program that is taught in Ukrainian, but who do not have adequate Ukrainian language skills, there are several higher education institutions in Ukraine that offer foreign students a “foundation year” during which they can focus on learning the Ukrainian language before they start their main study abroad program there. Thus, whether you prefer to study in Ukraine in an educational program that is taught in English, Ukrainian or Russian, there are a variety of options available for you to choose from.

As an international student, am I allowed to leave the country where I am studying to visit my home country or to vacation in neighboring countries?

In general, international students are allowed to travel outside of the host country where they are studying, such as to visit loved ones in their home country or to vacation in a neighboring country in the region. Student visas usually have certain conditions, however, that must be met in order for the student visa to remain valid. Those conditions normally require the international student to attend their classes on a regular basis (as well as to make adequate progress in their classes). Consequently, an international student may be able to travel home during the holidays or vacation in a neighboring country (if they meet that country’s entry criteria) during school break, but they might jeopardize being able to keep their student visa if they miss classes without authorization to go on vacation in another country (or even to return to their home country) when classes were still in session, for example. If there is a family emergency or similar event that requires the student to leave the country where they are studying while classes are in session, the international student should receive authorization from, and coordinate with, the school where they are enrolled and the government that issued the student visa/study permit.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If an international student plans to leave the host country where they are studying abroad to go home for the holidays or to vacation in another country, they should make sure that their student visa and their passport or other travel document(s) will not be expired while they are outside of the country where they are attending school. Otherwise, they may not be allowed to re-enter the country where they have been an international student and may need to re-apply for the student visa from outside of the country where their educational program is located. Needless to say, this would be quite inconvenient for the international student, plus any delay in returning to the study abroad program could result in missing classes and falling behind in one’s studies. For this reason, it is recommended to have a passport that will be valid for at least 90 days beyond the time when the study abroad program is expected to end in order to avoid this type of complication.

Are there conditions for maintaining/keeping a Canadian study permit?

Yes! Canada has conditions that international students must meet in order to keep their student visa (study permit) valid. These conditions can vary, but common requirements for international students may include:

attending their classes on a regular basis;

making satisfactory progress in their classes;

staying enrolled in school full-time (in most cases);

informing the relevant government agency of the host country that issued the student visa within a certain time period if they change their address;

not changing their main course of study (their “major”) that the student visa was approved for without permission from the government that issued the student visa;

not getting into trouble (e.g., not violating the law);

maintaining health insurance for themselves and any dependents with them;

not working without the permission of the government that issued the student visa (i.e., only work in compliance with the rules established for international students).

If I am issued a Canadian study permit, will I be able to work in Canada legally?

International students attending a designated learning institution full-time are often authorized to work in Canada while in school, but with certain limitations. An international student may have an option to work in Canada on campus without requiring a Canadian work permit, but will usually need to get a work permit to be employed off campus. In many cases, the spouse/partner who accompanies the international student may also be able to apply for an open work permit in order to work in Canada (certain limitations may apply). Please note that an international student and/or their spouse may need to wait until classes have started before they can start working, even if they have a valid work permit. It is very important that an international student and his/her spouse or partner (if relevant) only work in Canada if legally authorized to do so.

Keep in mind, however, that even if the host government allows you to work, the school where you attend (or the particular education program at the school) may have its own policy regarding whether its students are permitted to work and under what conditions. For example, a medical student might be legally authorized to work by the host government that issued the student visa/study permit, but the medical school itself may not allow its medical students to work so they can concentrate on their studies. Finally, although you might be authorized to work while studying overseas, the Canadian government requires international students to have adequate financial resources to pay for their school, living, travel and other expenses while in the country. Consequently, an international student should not rely solely on working to pay their expenses while they are attending school overseas.

If I am issued a student visa to Ukraine, will I be able to work in Ukraine legally?

An international student will first need to receive a student visa to Ukraine and then, in order to work in Ukraine legally, he/she will need to receive temporary residency there and apply for and be granted a Ukrainian work permit.

The Process:

This seems a bit confusing to me. I’m not sure which educational programs I might be eligible to apply for. What do I need to do next?

No problem! Many people who want to study overseas feel the same way. They have a genuine desire, like you, to live in a different country and to receive an international education, but they get a bit confused or frustrated trying to sort out their various options on their own as well as deal with the governmental bureaucracies. That is why we decided to meet the needs of people just like you and offer our expertise and professional services to simplify this process for you! The first step is to sign up for our general assessment which will evaluate the information you provide us and then offer you an easy-to-understand explanation of what your options are in terms of your eligibility to study in Canada or Ukraine (depending on which country you choose) and how to proceed.

What are the specific steps involved in this process?

We offer you a 4-phase process that can take you from learning exactly what your options are for studying in Canada or Ukraine (depending on which country you choose) all the way to actually being issued your study permit/student visa:

2. Phase Two – Study Abroad Selection (choose which study abroad programs to apply for from your best options );

3. Phase Three – Submission of Your Applications (apply for study abroad programs and after receiving a Letter of Acceptance, apply for the study permit/student visa);

4. Phase Four – Receive Your Study Permit/Student Visa!

Payment Information:

How can I pay for your services?

There are several secure payment methods available for your convenience. We have legal contracts with:

Visa

MasterCard

American Express

Diners International

Discover Card

PayPal

How secure is your payment system?

We utilize one of the most secure payment systems available for credit card purchases – a 256-bit encrypted Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) system. This is the same type of secure payment system used daily by millions of people around the globe for online financial transactions as varied as electronic banking, paying for airline tickets, purchasing consumer electronics, buying books online, requesting concert or movie tickets – even ordering pizza or Chinese food to be delivered! The reason that the SSL system is trusted by millions of businesses and customers worldwide is that this advanced secure payment system provides a secure connection between your computer and the computer/server of the online business (or governmental agency, educational institution, etc.) that you are interacting with online so that no one else can see the information you are entering except for you and that business/organization. Our secure payment system also encrypts (scrambles) your credit card information and then deletes your credit card details from our payment system after the purchase goes through successfully.

If you go to our payment webpage, you will notice that the URL (website address) starts with “https” instead of the more common “http” and this is because the “s” on the end of “https” stands for “secure.” If you have online banking, you’ll notice that the URL for your bank will also begin with the same “https” URL. Thus, we employ the same type of secure, encrypted SSL payment system that is commonly used today by millions of people all over the planet for local and international electronic business transactions. Aside from our desire and commitment to keep your information confidential, in order for us to have our legal contracts with Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners International, Discover Card and PayPal, we are required to have a secure payment system accepted by them (such as the SSL system) to protect the credit card details of our clients (who are also their customers as well). Finally, after your purchase is approved by your credit card company, you will receive your legal invoice/receipt which will state when you paid, how much you paid, whom you paid, and what you paid for.

Your trust is important to us; therefore, the information that you provide our company, including your credit card details, is handled with the utmost security and confidence!

How will I know if my payment goes through successfully?

When your credit card payment is approved, you will be informed through three different methods. First, you will see a response from our website on your computer monitor informing you that your payment went through successfully and it will show you when you paid, how much you paid, whom you paid, and what you paid for. Second, you will also receive shortly thereafter to the email address that you provide us your legal receipt/invoice which will state when you paid, how much you paid, whom you paid, and what you paid for. Third, the payment will also appear on your future credit card statement.

This all sounds good to me! How do I sign up?

If you want to begin the process of assessing your eligibility to live and study in Canada or Ukraine, click here.